Kitty Nutrition and Diet

I sadly must admit, I am a feeder. I don’t do this to ever harm my kitty or to give him any type of illnesses like diabetes or heart disease, but I just know he loves to eat (I know, it’s a terrible excuse). He also does meow a lot (yes, I know it’s a learned behavior) but I wrote this in reference to some changes my kitty needs to have in 2017.

1.    Treats

My guilty pleasure giving my kitty treats. The most recent information states not to give your cat any more than 20% of their diet in a treat form. Treats can be; dried fish, kitty treats, fish and fresh meat. Note: treats can also be healthy, cat treats are typically very high in calories. I feed my cat cooked carrot, melon and beans (mind the litter box the next day). It is very important that you don’t feed them dog treats or cooked bones.

There is still some mixed thoughts on cats chewing on raw bones. Raw bones can chip their teeth, but it does help keep their teeth clean, gums healthy and prevents biting on household furniture.

2.    Can cat food be made at home?

There are some important nutrients that are present in their cat food that can be challenging to provide them with home-cooked foods. If you do wish to give them some meals at home, use wet meats (raw chicken, raw lamb or raw beef) with soft cooked pumpkin. Canned fish can also be given to supplement their diet.

A healthy way to manage their nutrients is to give them half cat food and half of their food as wet meat and veggies.

Additional healthy foods your cat can have; cooked beans, cooked pumpkin, raw meat (no cooked chicken, the bones are brittle and can dislodge in their throat), lean deli meats and even watermelon.

3.    Can cats eat dog food?

This is a big no! Dog food doesn’t contain enough nutrients for a cat. In very small doses it won’t make your cat sick, but in the long term your cat will quickly become malnourished and quite unwell. Some dog foods can also induce nausea and vomiting in cats too.

4.    Other supplements?

Because  live somewhere with a hot climate, in summer I do have cat milk in the fridge to hydrate my little friend. I also use sardines (keeping in mind they are high in mercury and sodium). Also I keep catnip handy in the yard and my cat already eats lots of grass (he does sometimes throw this back up, this is very common with cats).

5.    Foods to avoid

-       Because we have already mentioned dog food, the other foods cats must avoid is anything containing fructose. This includes; onions, garlic and many fruits. Cats don’t have the enzymes to break this down and in some cases it can be completely poisonous. Note: this also does include dried fruits.

-       Milk: just like the fructose intolerance, cats also have lactose intolerance which means cats drinking milk isn’t a good thing. You obviously can purchase cat milk that is lactose free which is a great drink for cats who drink minimal water in summer.

-       Raw fish: note this doesn’t include ‘cured-fish’ like sardines or tuna. If you do have fresh fish, cook it and tear it up first before feeding to your cat. Fish frequently contains small bones which can choke them, fish also contains toxic substances to cats.